AluminemSiren

[kaliamberscale.livejournal.com]

WHO: Aluminemsiren, a.k.a. Orion

WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/aluminemsiren

WHAT:  One $25 character bust

WHEN: October 27th - Present

PROOF:  I don't think this needs much explaining.  Artist was commissioned in late October.  I didn't bug them about the commission until months had already passed.  Bugged them 2 or 3 more times between December 2011 and May of this year.  One of my emails even went ignored completely (probably because they were getting hounded by so many disgruntled commissioners).  May 12th, 2012 I requested a refund.  The email was read but never replied to.  I then sent another email asking for a refund, this time with more "srs bzns" verbiage.

I was told I would have to wait until Friday May 18th and will receive only a partial refund because the sketch had already been done. It is now 3 days after the 18th and my Paypal account is still at $0.  Aluminum, if you're reading this... I understand it's your business and you make the rules, but at this point in the game, a partial refund is only adding insult to injury.

http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o605/kalipython/AS01.jpg

http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o605/kalipython/as02.jpg

http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o605/kalipython/as03.jpg

EXPLAIN: Not much else to tell here.  The screenshots speak for themselves.  *shrug* 

EDIT: I have received a full refund in my paypal account from the artist.  Aluminum, I sincerely thank you for refunding me and I hope you are able to get your commission queue under control.  Good luck and thanks again.

Comments

[kobweb.livejournal.com]

I'm not arguing that these experiences are invalid, just vague and incomplete. Not saying OP's refund isn't necessary, because it very well is -- I do think aluminemsiren's treatment is right out unfair, though. He's created multiple journal entries, even made a list of the progress of his work, and above all -- he has completed past work, even went ahead of himself and revised older commissions.

As an artist, I empathize.

Rather than focusing on one detail, I figure the big picture would be more appropriate for this kind of situation.

[marus-puppy.livejournal.com]

Where are these journals you mention? I'm a watcher of his and his last journals were put up a month ago and they did not contain a list of progress or any sort of mention that he'll be dropping off the grid for a while, etc. He says he'll be going out of town for like a week, but again... posted over a month ago.

[edited for word choice]

[jamesalesto.livejournal.com]

As an artist (with a whole lot of individual commissions in my gallery), I don't empathize. The artist hasn't shown an ounce of remorse, and instead of acting gracious, they copped an attitude and threw a guilt trip on the OP. This isn't a large commission at all and six months is far too long, imo.

Also, journals are a terrible way to keep people in the loop for extended periods of time. For small little quips that aren't huge delays? Sure. For big-time long term deals such as six months a private note is the best way to go.

[aluminemsiren.livejournal.com]

There hasn't been any guilt tripping, I haven't let the commissioner personally know about my life situation, which I guess is part of the problem.

I'll admit, I haven't been very remorseful or apologetic with this specific commission. That's more of a coincidence really, because most of the time I am. And sometimes I feel strongly about certain things, so I can understand why when I try to voice my opinion, I might get a little worked up about it and it comes off as rude. I just like to believe the artist's well-being is also important.

[claviarm.livejournal.com]

For whatever it's worth, I don't think you have to give personal details. (If you do, you'll probably be accused by some of making excuses.) Life /does/ happen, but that's why it's important not to spend the customer's money before the work is completed--you have to be prepared to issue a refund, in case something comes up that prevents you from finishing it.

You don't come off as "worked up" at all to me. Your response has been one of the calmer ones I can remember in this community. All the same, saying approximately "I'm usually apologetic but not this time" doesn't really improve the situation.

This is just my personal take, but I think people would be fairly satisfied if you were to (1) issue a real apology, (2) add your partial-refund policy to your TOS, or otherwise ensure that customers knew it ahead of time, and (3) say that in the future you won't spend customer money before the work is finished. I can't speak with certainty for anyone but myself, but that's what I think the sticking points are here.

[aluminemsiren.livejournal.com]

I think after thinking it through sometime earlier this year, I had decided not to take full payment anymore. I went the route of only taking half payment now, and then the other half later. Still, that didn't change the fact that I'd use the payment without finishing the commission right away, I'm guilty of that. So, I can understand many of the comments left here regarding that issue. At the time, I was jobless, and really had no steady income, and I got reckless with whatever commission money I was given, and then hurt myself by letting things get this far.

Believe me, this wasn't the kind of artist I wanted to be, and it was a big smack in the face when I was put on a_b for the first time. A reality check. All a_b posts on me have actually been about the same group of commissions, so now I'm really pushing myself through this struggle of mine. I've been working on them regularly this week, because six months really has been too long and I'm really sorry for putting it all off and disappointing many customers. The last thing I wanted was an angry or disappointed customer, but I brought that down on myself.

[jamesalesto.livejournal.com]

Saying you have $11 in your bank account comes off as a way to guilt the OP for backing off on their refund. The whats or whys we spend commission money before the service is complete doesn't matter to the client, what matters is working out a way to pay them back as quickly as possible.

I get that things happen. Trust me. I'm going through a bit of a hectic time irl, too. My commission work has slowed down to a crawl, but it's not right to shrug off customers like this person seems to have been. Although I am glad that you are trying to make amends rather than letting this drag on further.

[aluminemsiren.livejournal.com]

I understand, I just meant that I wasn't trying to guilt trip, just informing them as of this moment I literally cannot refund them, but I do intend to do so with my next paycheck coming this friday.

I feel guilty for so many comments getting out of hand in this a_b post, and for anyone I know getting caught up in it as well. I appreciate people defending me, though I know I'm definitely in the wrong in this situation. There were just a few comments I felt that were a little too abrasive and I wanted to share my opinion, too, though some of them have been taken the wrong way.